The United States Postal Service and other non-government owned postal services provide services including, but not limited to: collection, processing, transportation, and delivering of mail or packages.
The mail room, whether it is the United States Postal Service mail room or the mail room of a corporation, currently does not have a comprehensive automated system for the efficient handling, sorting, and distribution of mail. The current system creates an inefficient work environment that fosters costly repetitive time consuming procedures.
This invention addresses the many inefficiencies and deficiencies of the processing aspects of the incoming mail.
In the United States Postal Service mail room, one of the deficiencies is the limitation of the physical area in which information can be displayed on the carriers' postal casing and routing unit. The limited space only allows for the last name of a post office box holder or street information. Typically, this information is hand written on a temporary sticky type of note pad and affixed to the casing and routing unit. Another typically used method of conveying up-to-date information to the mail room clerk is the usage of small color coded labels affixed to the casing and routing unit to reflect the current status of the mail stop. The current method of tracking the mail stop information does not adequately assist the mail room clerks and often times results in redundancy, routing errors, and late deliveries.
In addition to the above, the current system of tracking accumulated mail stop information at the United States Postal Service stations is done by the usage of index cards. Each mail stop record is kept on an index card. The index card records allow for manual processing of sorting records and record look up. Typically, the mail stop record is hand written and input manually.
Currently, all postal notices and accountable items are hand written in duplicates. Notices are pre-sorted in sequential order prior to delivery. Similarly, accountable mail is maintained with hand written reports for the purpose of tracking.
In terms of forecasting future workload and staffing requirements, the United States Postal Service currently has not implemented a consistent method of gathering relevant statistical information. The present invention also addresses this deficiency.
A great deal of machinery and automated procedures have been developed for the processing of out-going mail. These machines will print, fold, insert, seal, label, pre-sort, imprint bar code, imprint metered postage, detect thickness, weigh, and affix stamps. These machines and procedures are geared for postal savings from the consumer point of view. However, they dc not address the aforementioned inefficiencies and deficiencies in the mail room.
Searches on the commercially available solutions to the aforementioned mail room issues show that a company called M.A.I.L. Code offers a system called "In-Sort". Primarily, In-Sort is a name management database program designed for the automation of company wide personnel look-ups.
Another company called Tracer Research addresses the problem of tracking and reporting of accountable mail with a system called "Tracer." Tracer provides the ability to correctly track, route and report the multitudes of accountable mail. Typically accountable mail includes, but is not limited to, registered, certified and insured.
Another company called REI, which primarily produces furniture for mail rooms, has designed a mail casing unit equipped with plexiglass routing guide display boards. These display boards are connected to the top of the casing unit and provide routing information to the mail room clerk.
The aforementioned companies offer piece-meal solutions. They do not offer an integrated solution to the complexities typically involved in the processing department of the United States Postal Service station.